Centrifugal machine.



No. 722,730. PATENTED MAB.17,1903.

' J. W. MAGFARLANB &,A. R. ROBERTSON.

GENTRIFUGAL MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED P313111, 1902.

N0 MODEL 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.-

PAIENTED MAR. 17, 1903.

I J. W. MAOFARLANE 6: A. R. ROBERTSON.

GENTRIFUGAL MACHINE.

APPLICATION rum) IEB.11,'1902.

no MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

JAMES \VRIGHT MAOFARLANE AND ANDREW ROBERT ROBERTSON, OF

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

CENT'RIFUGAL MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. '722,730, dated March 17, 1903. Application filed February 11,1902. Serial No. 93,555. Clo model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES WRIGHT MAo- FARLANE and ANDREW ROBERT ROBERTSON, engineers, of the firm of Watson, Laidlaw and Company, 98 Dundas street, south, in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Machines, of which the following isaspecifi cation.

This invention relates to improvements in centrifugal machines with reference to an improved valve or cone which closes the discharge-opening of the revolving basket.

In the drawings forming apart of'this specification, Figure l is a side view of the centrifugal machine, partly in section, with the valve or cone in an open or raisedposition applied thereto and which is in section. Fig. 2 is a section on the line A B of Fig. 3,. and Fig. 3 shows a detail of the valve in a closed position and partly in section.

A conical discharge-valve is free to slide up and down the spindle A and which when fully down serves to close the discharge-opening in the bottom of the centrifugal basket, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. A pin 0 is fixed to the discharge-valve, tting into a vertical groove D in the spindle. This pin and groove do not prevent the discharge-valve being raised and lowered, but preventit turning relatively to the spindle A. A groove or recess, as shown at E, is made in which the pin C may rest, and so support the valve B. A hand-wheel or flange F is fitted to the discharge-valve in such a manner as to allow of its being held-by hand and remain motionless while the spindle A and the discharge-valve are revolving. A race of balls, as shown at G, or other form of bearing is fitted between the hand-wheel orflange F and the sleeve of the discharge-valve to reduce the friction as much as possible.

To place'the valve B in the upper position (shown'in full lines) while the centrifugal is in motion, it is necessary to lift it up by the hand-wheel F, so that the pin O is opposite the recess E. Then by slightly retarding the valve B the pin will enter the recess. .Oonversely, to restore the valve to the dotted position While the centrifugal is in motion it is only necessary to apply the usual brake to the spindle A, so that its motion is slightly checked. The valve B will not be immediately checked, owing to its inertia, but will continue its motion, and the pin C will accordingly pass out of the recess E into a vertical'groove D, and by so doing release the valve and permit it to drop.

We likewise construct the upper flange of the disoharge-valvein the ordinary Weston centrifugal basket covering the opening in the'bottom by whichthe valve is raised or lowered with a loose flange or hand-wheel in the manner already described, sothat the valve can be raised or lowered by the hand while the machine is in motion, and that although the part of the valve which is in contact with the machine may revolve the flange or hand-wheel by which the valve is lifted will remain stationary. After the valve has been raised to the required height it is held by a hook or chain attached to the outside framework in the usual way or by any means already well-known in practice.

The reason for being able to lift the discharge-valve while the centrifugal is in motion is that when drying a good quality of sugar the Wall of sugar frequently falls down as soon aswthe centrifugal is stopped, and if the discharge-valve is not raised before that time'it becomes buried with the falling sugar, which the attendant has to clear away before he can lift the valve. It will therefore be .seen that if the valve be lifted before the machine stops the falling sugar will at once pass through the opening in the bottom of the basket, thereby facilitating the operation of discharging.

What we claim as our invention is-- 1. In a centrifugal machine, the combination with the basket having a central opening, and a valve for closing the opening of the basket, of valve-controlling means movable relatively to the valve and adapted to be gripped by the operator to open the valve.

2. In a centrifugal machine, the combination with the basket having a central opening, of a hand-wheel adapted to move relatively to the valve and to be gripped by the operator to open the valve.

3. In a centrifugal machine, the combination with the basket having acentral opening, and a valve for closing the opening, of a hand-wheel to move relatively to the valve, and a ball-race interposed between the valve and the hand-wheel.

4. In a centrifugal machine, the combination with the basket provided with a central opening, and a spindle, provided with a groove, of a valve surrounding the spindle, and a pin carried by the valve holding the valve againstrotation relatively to the spindle.

JAMES WRIGHT MAOFARLANE. ANDREW ROBERT ROBERTSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN LIDDLE, AGNES MAoKINTosH. 

